Building code for pole barn

[tinman1957]

I'm wanting to build a pole barn on the side of my property, I was told the barn can not be 1'' past the front of my house, seeing how my land is already divided into lots, I was wondering if that would make a difference with that code because the barn would be built on a different lot.

 

[Joe Engel]

Tread lightly with this argument, an accessory is secondary to a primary structure and generally required by zoning to be in the rear or maybe side yard. If you declare a separate lot that does not have a primary, it may not be allowed.

 

[tinman1957]

Tread lightly with this argument, an accessory is secondary to a primary structure and generally required by zoning to be in the rear or maybe side yard. If you declare a separate lot that does not have a primary, it may not be allowed.

The barn will be on the side of the property, but will be a few feet past the front of the house, I guess I don't get why I can't build this seeing how it would be on a completely different lot on my property, to many codes.

 

[bill1952]

I think your local zoning department is the only one that can say for sure.
Would pole barn fit within all required set backs and is lot zoned for commercial uses?

 

[tinman1957]

I think your local zoning department is the only one that can say for sure.
Would pole barn fit within all required set backs and is lot zoned for commercial uses?

The lots are not zoned for commercial use, there are oak trees that I don't want to cut down to get the barn with in code.

 

[ICE]

Your situation is absolutely a local zoning issue. Zoning regulations can be wildly divergent from one municipality to the next. Almost all jurisdictions have setback areas that must be kept free of construction. Our setbacks are historically 20' front., 15' rear and 5'side. Some developments have lessor or greater setbacks. In most cases the primary dwelling is built at the front setback.

Your municipality will not let you go past the front of the dwelling so the dwelling might be at the front setback line or there is a separate rule. Either way it makes sense to keep the barns, etc. from getting past the front of the dwelling.

Our zoning will not allow any structures if there is not a dwelling already there. Many times an applicant desired to build a garage to store material and tools and at a later date, build a house but the answer was no.

California has strict rules regarding oak trees. It is illegal to cut down an oak tree,

 

[e hilton]

The lots are not zoned for commercial use, there are oak trees that I don't want to cut down to get the barn with in code.

You're missing a couple of clues the other posters are trying to give you. Since there is not a house on the lot at the moment, if you build the barn the lot becomes farm or commercial use, not residential. Does your town allow that? Assuming the house on the adjacent lot is built on the front setback like most are, then you could not build the barn any closer to the street anyway. Sounds like you need to make the barn smaller.

 

[bill1952]

You need to discuss with zoning department. I've learned mine is very flexible as long as neighbors are fine with it. I have the sense most are not.

If it's in front of house but not within any set backs, and it's to save oak trees, you might get a variance. It might help if you agreed to use materials for siding and roofing more like a house than the typical metal siding and roofing of pole barns.

Purely a local zoning issue. Find out who is on board and see if you know any. Find out what your neighbors think.

 

[e hilton]

Maybe have a contract with a local landscaper to plant a couple of replacement trees in a location suitable to the town.

 

[SCBO1]

Not sure I have all the information or not but our zoning would not allow a secondary or accessory building to stand alone on a seperate lot. Zoning also typically requires a BL (Build Line) established when a subdivision is platted. Building faces are what determines the front of the building. Concrete stoops and stairs and maybe a soffit is the only thing that is typically allowed over the BL. Your post indicated 1-inch maybe you meant 1-ft?

As building official I have no way of determining if a building is 1-inch over the BL, I get a plot plan and that would be difficult to verlfy, however I suppose a surveyor can, but at who's cost?

A BZA board (Board of Zoning Adjustment) may see your way in regards to oak tree displacement, but keep in mind, no one is forcing you to build a barn so it's not considered a hardship.

 

[e hilton]

Your post indicated 1-inch maybe you meant 1-ft?

He’s emphasizing that the city is not going to budge by even 1”.

 

[bill1952]

Combine lots and make it attached, if there is room within front yard set back.

 

[Paul Sweet]

A lot (no pun intended) of towns & cities were laid out with 25 ft. or so wide lots. A person would buy multiple lots when zoning required more frontage. The house I grew up in was on a parcel of 4 lots which totaled 100' x 100'. Our neighbor across the street owned 7 lots, and was able to sell off 3 of them (75' was the minimum width to build on) when he retired.

 

[jar546]

I was going to add to this but everyone hit the nail on the head. This is 100% a zoning issue so I will move this to zoning. Hopefully the OP got the message and was not just looking for someone to tell him/her what they wanted to hear.

 

[my250r11]

Here you can not have an accessory with out primary. Could combine lots. Front setback as others have said are set in stone, can not build past that in most AHJ's

 

[bill1952]

My neighbor just got variance for front yard set back, but it's a corner lot, so he was allowed to build a garage to side yard setback - 15' vs 30'.